Services: Trauma Recovery Abuse

There are many forms of abuse that people can experience in their lifetimes. Some of the kinds of abuse that people experience put them at risk of becoming abusive themselves to the people around them. This is one good reason for dealing with the results of abuse in one's own life. We know these things not only because of our training and professional experience but also because we have been abused ourselves in various ways.

Verbal and Emotional Abuse

This form of abuse is where words are used as weapons to hurt, manipulate and control another person or persons. The abuser seeks to imprint a false identity upon the person being abused. For example, an abuser might says condemnatory things like, "Do you work hard at being stupid or does it just come naturally?" Another example is, "You are such a loser and you will always be a loser" or "Nothing you do will ever turn out right." Another is, "Your sibling is more beautiful/smarter/athletic/popular than you will ever be." Another one is, "I wish you'd never been born" or "you ruined my life" or "you're such a disappointment" or "if you were better, your father (or mother) wouldn't have left the family." These words cut to the heart and, even worse, they remain long after they were spoken, continuing to harm each time they are remembered.

Workplace harassment, verbal intimidation e.g. "You know I can fire you if I'm not happy", bullying, sexual harassment, ageism, and discrimination against those with disabilities are all forms of verbal abuse.

Physical abuse

No one has the right to intentionally hurt another person. It's abuse and it's against the law.

Sexual Abuse

It's called "soul rape" for a reason. It's the murdering of a individual who was created in the image and likeness of God. It's the ugly truth that many families don't want anyone to know about. Sometimes it's a child being abused. Sometimes it's an adult being abused. Sometimes it's a child who is the abuser. Sometimes it's an adult who is the abuser. Usually the identity of the abuser is known to everyone in the family but not always. Certainly the abuser has given the other family members very strong reasons to say nothing.

Chronic Illness and/or Disability

It is easy to believe that you are not a valuable, whole person when you are dealing with circumstances that limit your ability to live a life that looks like the lives around you. You can begin to see yourself as being a second class person, especially when others intentionally or unintentionally reinforce that viewpoint.

Kevin has struggled with feelings of failure as a person because he has a very rare autoimmune condition that limits some of the things he can do physically. However, it does not limit the things he can accomplish with his mind, his words and his heart. He has learned the truth of Christ's words, "My grace is sufficient s words I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." One of Kevin's mottoes is, "In my weaknesses I am made strong through Christ."